ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2520 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2520 ************************************ From: "Lisa and Ken Theriot" 16 May 2002 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You wanted our help in constructing an appropriate name for a woman living in Ireland between 1430 and 1500. You asked about the given names and , whether was appropriate for your father's name, and whether you could incorporate , or as a clan name. You also asked about documentary forms of the names. Here is the information we have found. is a fine choice for you. (Here the slash indicates an acute accent over the preceding letter.) It was a popular name throughout the later medieval period; we find it recorded in your period in 1431, 1466, and 1468 [1, 2]. It was pronounced roughly \AH-ny@\, where \@\ represents the sound of in and [3]. is also a fine choice, though this is an early spelling. It was a Gaelic form of the Anglo-Norman , borrowed into the language sometime after Normans began to settle in Ireland in the 12th century. We find it recorded in your period in several forms, but we believe that the most appropriate spelling is [1, 2, 4]. This name was pronounced \SHEE-vahn\. is not a native Irish name. It was borrowed into Gaelic and used by a few early Irish clerics who adopted for religious reasons, but the name was never in common Irish usage [1]. Nearly all of our examples of the name in medieval Ireland represent men in religious life, like abbots and bishops; accordingly, we can't recommend it as a good choice for your father's name. The latest example we have of the name is in 1264, well before your period, so we would not recommend it as a good choice for you in any case [5, 6, 7]. If you'd like a similar-sounding name, you might want to consider , a common Gaelic man's name [8]. It was pronounced \DOE-n@l\, where \OE\ rhymes with . A Gaelic woman in your period was usually known in Gaelic by her given name plus a patronymic byname, i.e. one that identified her as her father's daughter. By your period, it was common to add an additional byname that identified the clan to which she belonged. A patronymic byname is formed in Gaelic for a woman by using 'daughter', followed by your father's name, given in the genitive, or possessive, form, and lenited. For example, , the daughter of a man named would be known as [9]. The byname is pronounced \EE-ny@n DOE-nahl~\; here \l~\ represents the sound of in French . If you want to choose a different name for your father, you might be interested in the following articles on the web: "Dated Names Found in O/ Corra/in & Maguire's _Irish Names_" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/ocm/ "Fourteenth to Sixteenth Century Irish Names and Naming Practices" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/lateirish/ "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Masculine Given Names" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Masculine/ If you select a name for your father and are unsure of the correct grammar and pronunciation, please write back and we'll be happy to help you. , , and are modern English surnames that derived from Gaelic family names. These modern forms aren't appropriate as part of a medieval name. However, each originated as a simple patronymic byname that was eventually used as a family or clan name; we'll suggest Gaelic forms appropriate to your period. and are both forms of 'son of Maola/n' [10]. A was lord of Gaileang Breagh, in the north of the present County Dublin, in the 12th century [11, 12]. We don't know whether was used as a clan identifier in your period, but we cannot rule it out, since the name turns up in English-language records in Ireland around 1600, after your period [12]. If it was used, then a woman named A/ine who was the daughter of Domhnall of the Mac Maola/in clan would have been called 'A/ine daughter of Domhnalll mac Maola/in' or possibly just 'A/ine daughter of Mac Maola/in'. The byname was pronounced \EE-ny@n vik VU*-lahn~\, where \U*\ represents the sound you get by pronouncing the in with your lips positioned as if you were saying as in [13, 14]. is a form of 'son of Aodh'. The modern name is found most often in Irish gallowglass families, that is, families whose ancestors came over from Scotland as mercenaries beginning in the 13th century [15]. There are two Gaelic forms of 'son of Aodh', and ; the first was more common in Scotland, while the latter was more common in Ireland. Again, we have English-language examples circa 1600 which may indicate the use of in Ireland, but we have not found it in Irish Gaelic records [16]. You may incorporate either form in a Gaelic name, but we believe that in your period, would be more appropriate for a person of Scottish descent. was a very common masculine given name in your period, but we have not found or used as a clan name in Irish Gaelic records [17]. If it was used, then a woman named A/ine who was the daughter of Domhnall of the Mac Aoidh clan would have been called 'A/ine daughter of Domhnall Mac Aoidh' or possibly just 'A/ine daughter of Mac Aoidh'. Similar names can be constructed using . The bynames and were pronounced \EE-ny@n vik EE\ and \EE-ny@n vik AY-gh@\, where \AY\ rhymes with and \gh\ represents a voiced version of the sound of the rasping in Scottish or German . The \gh\ sound became less pronounced over time and was probably almost silent by 1600. Irish clan names are much more often formed by using the element (which appears in English records as ) with the ancestor's name [18]; if you'd like more information on building a clan name, we recommend the following article: "Quick and Easy Gaelic Names" http://www.MedievalScotland.org/scotnames/quickgaelicbynames/ You asked about documentary forms of names. A 15th century Irish woman might have had her name recorded in several different ways depending on the language of the document. She would have been identified in Gaelic by a Gaelic name constructed according to Gaelic naming customs and in English by an English name constructed according to English naming customs. Latin documents might show still another different form of her name. We can't guarantee that we have enough evidence to construct an English or Latin form for any Gaelic name, but when you've decided on a Gaelic form, please write back and we'll do our best to help you. We hope that this letter has been useful to you, and that you won't hesitate to write us again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Effrick neyn Kenneoch, Mari neyn Brian, Maridonna Benvenuti, Talan Gwynek, and Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn. For the Academy, Adelaide de Beaumont 16 May 2002 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References: [1] O/ Corra/in, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1990), s.nn. A/ine, Siba/n, Danie/l, A/ed. [2] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Feminine Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 2000), s.nn. A/ine, Siobha/n. http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/ [3] More precisely, it was \AH-n~@\, where the \n~\ represents the sound of in Spanish or the in French . [4] The Irish Annals show a great deal of spelling variation based on whether the scribe was Irish or English, and whether he preferred conservative spelling, like the common spelling of Gaelic before 1200, or modern spelling, used after 1200 to make the written form more nearly match the spoken form; accordingly, though the Annals obviously present valid spellings for the period, we do not believe they always reflect the most typical spelling of Gaelic orthography for the time. We find the spellings in 1464, and in 1467 and 1490; obviously they are acceptable; however, we don't believe either is the best spelling choice. Gaelic orthography had fairly fixed rules; as a result, we can construct a "best" spelling for the period. This is called a normalized spelling, which can be thought of as the theoretically correct spelling according to the rules for the period under consideration rather than the most common spelling actually found. The normalized spelling for your period is , and indeed we find this spelling recorded in 1383 [2]. [5] Donnchadh O/ Corra/in, ed., "Annals of Inisfallen" (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 2000). Entry I1264.2 includes 'Daniel, bishop of Cluana'. The first four digits are the year of the events recorded. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100004/ [6] Stephen Beechinor, Beatrix Fa"rber, Daithi/ O/ Corra/in, ed., "Annals of the Four Masters, Volume 3" (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 2000), entries M1172-M1372. Entry M1234.1 (the first four digits are the year of the events recorded) records the death of , 'Maol Iosa son of Daniel Ui/ Gormgaile Prior of Innsi Mac n-Erin'. This is the only example we have that may reflect a non-religious use of , assuming that the Prior was named and his father was named . http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100005C/ [7] If using the name is more important to you than the period you selected, you might like to know that we find the elements , , and in use around 1200. If you'd like additional information about building a name appropriate for this earlier period, please write again. [8] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Masculine Given Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 2002), s.v. 1401-1500. The article includes a dozen examples of dated between 1430 and 1500. http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Masculine/ [9] The genitive is a way of altering a name to reflect possession, much as we do when we change to ; here, it is the change from to . Lenition is a softening of certain consonant sounds required by Gaelic grammar. Lenition does not occur after in names beginning with the letter , so the spelling and pronunciation of your byname is not affected by lenition. If you are interested in why this happens, we recommend this article available on the web: Lenition in Gaelic Orthography http://www.medievalscotland.org/scotlang/lenition.shtml [10] MacLysaght, Edward, _The Surnames of Ireland_ (Dublin: Irish Academic Press Ltd., 1985), s.nn. MacMillan, MacMullen. is apparently a Scottish form; the author calls "Scottish" and is described as an Irish form "of Scottish MacMillan". [11] Donnchadh O/ Corra/in & Mavis Cournane, "Annals of the Four Masters, vol. 2", six volumes (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 1997-98), entries M903-M1171. Entries include: M1048.2 Aedh mac Maola/in h-Ui Nuadhait, airchinneach Suird M1051.11 Laidcenn mac Maolain h-Ui/ Leoca/in, tigherna Gaileng M1076.2 h-Amhlaoibh, mac mic Maola/in M1144.14 Mac Mic Maola/in, tighe_rna Gaileang Breagh The first four digits are the year of the events recorded. The last two entries use the byname 'son of Mac Maola/in', which may indicate that was used either as a family name or as a chiefly title. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100005B [12] Woulfe, Patrick, _Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames_ (Kansas City: Irish Genealogical Foundation), s.n. Mac Maola/in. Examples from English records circa 1600 include and . [13] This sound is not found in English, though in some dialects it is similar to the sound of in or the in . [14] Note that the clan name shows lenition in a woman's byname as indicated by the letter ; where the masculine byname is the feminine counterpart is 'female member of the mac Maola/in clan'. [15] MacLysaght, s.n. McCoy. [16] Woulfe, s.n. Mac Aoidh, shows and recorded circa 1600. [17] Stephen Beechinor, Eoin Dunford, Beatrix Fa"rber, Philip Irwin, Elva Johnston, Julianne Nyhan, ed., "Annals of the Four Masters, Volume 4" (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 2000), entries M1373-M1493. Entries include: M1448.1 Concobhar mac Aodha Ui Fhe_rghail M1452.14 Giolla na Naomh mac Aodha Ui/ Ainlidhe tighearna Cenel Dobhta M1452.24 Aedh mac Aedha o/ig mic Aodha mic Pilib na Tuaighe Mhe/g Uidir M1452.24 Brian mac Donnchaidh mic Aodha Mhe/g Uidhir M1486.23 Tadg mac Aodha mic Briain Ui/ Birn M1486.35 Aodh o/cc mac Aodha Ruaidh mic Rudhraighe M1487.29 Ruaidhri an Doire mac Muirghe_sa mic Aodha Mec Diarmata M1497.13 Muirceartach mac Aodha o/icc mec Aodha Buidhe Ui/ Neill The first four digits are the year of the events recorded. We believe all these examples show used literally, that is, to indicate that a man named was the person's father or grandfather. For example, we would translate entry 1497.13 as 'Muirceartach son of Young Aodh son of Yellow Aodh of the Ui/ Neill clan'. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100005D/ [18] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), Names and Naming Practices in the Red Book of Ormond (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1999). Examples of 14th century women's names recorded include , anglicized from . and are accordingly fine Irish names for your period. The byname was pronounced \EE-ny@n (w)ee VU*-lahn~\, where \(w)\ represents a lightly pronounced consonantal sound. http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/lateirish/ormond.html